Pipe tongs for rotaries



March 2 1926.

B. BOYKIN, JR

PIPE TONGS FOR ROTARIES Filed March 9 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet Ma rch 2 1926.

B. BOYKIN, JR

PIPE TONGS FOR ROTARIES Filed March 9 192 2 Sheets-Sheet .2

" -umrao STATES Patented Man-. 2, i926.

IBUBWELL norm, 33., O]? BEAUMONT, TEXAS.

run 'r'oues' ro'n no'rna na Application 1118a larch a, 1925. sem m.- 14,114.

To all whom it may concem: Be it known that I, BURWELL Boxxm, Jr.,

. a citizen of the United States, residing at Beaumont, J eiferson County, Texas, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Pipe Tongs for Botaries, of which the following is a specification. My invention relates to pipe tongs use on rotaries in screwing up or unscrewing pipe joints by use of the rotary. table.

It 1s now customary in rotary drilling, to use the rotary to-unscrew or screw up the pipe joints. In doing'this the pipe tongs are secured upon the joint to be turned and the outer end of the handle of the tongs bears against a post which ma be secured in the outer rotary table in den le table rotaties. In screwing up the joints it is desirable that the joints be not threaded together too tightly; for the threads on the joints may be mutilated and the joint may be frozen so that it cannot be easily unscrewed.

It is an object of my invention to rovide a pipe wrench or tongs which wi yield under a predetermined pressure, thus preventing injury to the joint to which itis secure It is also desired that the device be capable of application to various makes of tongs now in general use.

Referring to the drawing herewith, Fi 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, 0 a

, Fi 1 with the p L' e numerals o pipe wrench with m invention a plied thereto. Fig. 2 is a similar view t en at right angles to that disclosed in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view similar to that shown in arts in different position. reference are applied to like parts in all the views.

In the drawings m invention is shown as applied to an or inar type of chain tongs, butit is to he un erstood that the invention lies principally in the construction of the handle, and may be applied to any ordinary type of make-up tongs emplo ed in screwin up joints in pipe. The hea of the tongs s own in-the drawing is made up of two side plates 1 which are shaped somewhat like a spearhead with the rounded tapering sides toothed at 2 to engage against a pipe. A chain, not shown isemployed to secure the said toothed portion in engagement with the pipe bein rotated.

The handle is a jointe one held resiliently in operative position. It comprises a bar or shaft 4 approximately cylindrical in shape and .the forward end is adapted to be slidably received within acollar 5 having'an opening 6 to receive the shaft The end of the handle shaft 4 isformed with atransverse opening 7 to receive a rivet or 'pin 8 by means of which itji's pivotally connected to a link 9 of a chain 10. for

The collar 5 is held resiliently in position at the forward end of'the handleshaft 4. by means of a coiled compression spring 11,

fitting on said shaft and bearing at one end upon the collar 5 and at its other end upon a shaft.

nut 12 adjustably threaded at 13 upon the.

. The head 1 of the ton s has a lon itudi- .nally extending flattene shank 14 t ereon which is secured to two side plates 15 connected rigidly to the collar 5, and preferably formed integrally thereon. vThe of the shaft 4 flexibly to the shank of th( head 1.

secure to the jointto be tightened and the handle 4'is secured behind a post which acts as a stop to prevent rotation of the tongs relative to the joint. Where a double table rotary is used, the post may be on an outer ring-shaped table rotatable independently of the central table in which the pi e is sccured. The rotation of the outer ta ale will then swing the tongs about the pipe carrying with it the collar or tool joint which is to be tightened. The pressure of'the-spr'ing 11 is adjusted to prevent thehandle from breaking at the joint- 16 under a predetermined pressure. When this pressure is exceeded, however, as when the joint is screwed up tightly, the resistance of the joint will overcome the ressure of the spring 11 and the handle W111 swing on pivot 16 into a position at an angle to the head as shown 1n Fig. 3, thus swlnging it free of the post and releasing the strain on the joint which has been sufliciently tightened. The breaking of the handle causes the handle-shaft to .be drawn through the collar 5 as shown in In operating the said tongs the head 1 is into extended position as before, after the handle is free of the post. The wrench will be thus freed from the pipe and will drop to the derrick latform and may thereafter be applied-to t e next oint to be tightened in a similar manner.

The use of thistype of tongs will enable the driller to work rapidly, and at the same time safely, in screwing up the ipe. The ton s ma be easily attached an operated without dan er of accidental straining or mutilation 0 the pipe, or the tools.

While I have shown the preferred embodiment of my invention, I wish it understood that various changes in arrangement of parts and the employment of equivalents may be employed without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a pipe tongs for use on rotaries, a head, a shank thereon, a handle shaft, a chain connection between said shank and shaft, a collar slidable on said shaft, plates on said collar pivoted to said shank, and a spring on said handle shaft acting to force said collar toward said head.

2. In a pipe ton s for use on rotaries, a pipe gripping hea a handle, a chain connecting said handle and head, a collar slidable on said handle, plates on said collar pivotally connected with said head,

and a spring on said handle tending to resist movement of said collar on said handle toward its outer end.

3. In a pipe tongs for use on rotaries, a pipe gripping head, a shank thereon, a banle pivoted on the outer end of said shank to swing thereon and a spring on said handle and surroun ing the same and adapted to resiliently hold said handle extended in line axially of said head and shank with a predetermined force.

4. In a pipe tongs for use on rotaries, a pipe engaging head, a shank on said head, a collar secured pivotally to said shank adjacent said head, a handle slidable in said collar and secured flexibly to the outer end of said shank and a spring on said handle to hold said handle extended axially from said head with a predetermined force.

'5. In a pipe tongs for use on rotaries, a pipe engaging'head, a shank thereon, a handle having a jointed connection with the end of said shank, a compression spring on said handle, and tending to hold said handle extending axially from said head with a predetermined force, and means in which said handle is slidable between said spring and said head.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature this 5th day of March A. D. 1925.

v BURWELL BOYKIN, JR. 

